Just Engaged and Waiting
by LuckyGrrl
Summary: Sequel to Just Roommates.
1. Going Back To Stars Hollow

Disclaimer: I don't really know.  
  
Author's Note: This is the sequel to Just Roommates. Umm, everything on the show has happened, however, Rory eventually got over Jess but it's kind of a tricky topic. Anyways, please read on.  
  
"Ahh, Stars Hollow." Kristina Murray sighed as she and Rory pulled into the town. "I wonder what I can do to make Taylor flip a lid this trip." She tried to cackle, but failed.  
  
Rory rolled her eyes at her best friend. "I don't think you'll have much time to play jokes on Taylor." She looked at the woman next to her. "I think you and Jake will be too busy trying to 'woo' each other. And besides, you've got to help me with this ridiculous shower my grandma is throwing me."  
  
"I bet you can't wait to see Tristan."  
  
A grin appeared on Rory's face that was so big it could have split her face. "It's been forever!" She exclaimed.  
  
"It's been two weeks."  
  
"Forever."  
  
Kristina pulled her car to a stop in the Gilmore's driveway. "Fine fine, forever. I wonder where they are."  
  
The 'they' Kristina referred to was Tristan and Jake. It was mid July, and the four were meeting in Stars Hollow for a engagement party Emily Gilmore decided to throw for Rory. She had decided to wait until all four people had graduated from Yale and had a nice little summer vacation. Tristan had to be there, of course, because he was one half of the happy couple after all. Kristina and Jake were there because they were the bridesmaid, and best man respectively.  
  
Lorelai Gilmore ran out of her house like a ghost was chasing her to greet her daughter. However, she stopped short just before reaching Rory due to being short of breath. "So, you just got your yearly exercise, huh?" Rory prompted.  
  
"I'm going to forget that comment and tell you to give me a hug."  
  
"Your wish is my command." Rory happily hugged her mother, whom she hadn't seen in nearly a month.  
  
"So, does this mean if I ask for a Ferrari, you'll buy me one?" She felt Rory shake her head. "What about coffee?"  
  
"We'll see."  
  
Lorelai smiled as if she had a secret when she stepped away from the younger Gilmore. Before she said anything, she gave the obligatory hug to Kristina. She never did stay at home, or at her own college. It was surprising she had even settled on a major before she graduated.  
  
"Mo-om, you've got a secret. Now spill."  
  
"Okay, so, I was at the Inn the other day when Luke called." Lorelai started spilling as the group headed to the house to sit down and drink some coffee, what else would they do? "Anyways, he was in the diner, whispering while we were talking. I didn't get every word, maybe every other one because Kirk was complaining about never getting any service around the place when I heard-."  
  
"What did you hear?" The two recent graduates encouraged.  
  
"Well, before I was rudely interrupted," Lorelai grinned, "I was going to say when I heard an all too familiar voice shut him up. Now, this voice comes with a face. But, I'm not sure if you want to remember it."  
  
Rory was getting what her mom was hinting at very cryptically. She knew he was back in town, somehow would end up back in her life. She couldn't avoid him, even though he did break her heart. She couldn't not go into Luke's every morning and beg for coffee with her mom. She had to face the facts. "Jess is back, isn't he?"  
  
Lorelai looked sadly at her daughter. "I'm afraid he is, hon." She paused. "Luke told me that he was here for an interview at the Hartford Post. Apparently he worked his way through college and cleaned his act up."  
  
Kristina wasn't really catching on. "Jess? The guy I'm supposedly related to?" Rory smiled and nodded. "Suh-weet, where is he?"  
  
"The diner." A deeper voice said from the doorway of the living room. Rory knew that voice anywhere. She turned around to see Tristan standing there, with Jake off to his side.  
  
"Tris!" She jumped up and down before greeting him.  
  
"Ror!" He mimicked her, before getting a slap on the back of the head. However, he was grinning a megawatt smile.  
  
When they broke the hug and kissed, they found Jake and Kristina doing the same thing. The other roommates had been dating for about nine or ten months, and had become very close. No, they hadn't been 'just roommates' like Tristan and Rory had been in the beginning. Of course, they had Tristan, Rory and Lorelai playing matchmaker to speed up the process a bit.  
  
Tristan saw his fiancées eyes clouded with worry. "Hey, it'll be alright." He whispered in her ear and pulled her close. "If you need closure, now is the time to get it." Rory and Tristan had spent some time talking about their pasts after the engagement. Eventually Jess wound up as a main topic, and Rory had confessed that she might have loved him. She didn't anymore, but she needed to know for a fact that he was okay.  
  
"Are you sure? What if--."  
  
"There are a lot of 'what if's,' Ror. The question is, do I love you strong enough to let you go if you change your mind."  
  
Rory pulled back suddenly. She was shaking her head violently. "No, I won't."  
  
"Ror, just listen. The answer is, yes. I do."  
  
Yet another voice piped up. "I do? Practicing the vows already?" Lane Kim asked from the doorway as well.  
  
Tristan and Rory looked at each other. One had worry in their eyes, and the other had a look fear. Two pairs of blue blue eyes staring at each other, trying to push out all of the worries in their heads. "Look, just go and get your closure." Tristan smiled slightly. "I've got some talking to do with your mom on our escape plans for the party."  
  
Ten minutes later everyone was out of the house except for Tristan and Lorelai. Jake and Kristina had gone to the Inn to settle into their rooms and unpack. Rory and Lane had walked to Kim's Antiques so they could catch up and then Rory was headed for the diner.  
  
"So, what was that tension I felt?" Lorelai asked her future son in law. She was sitting across from him on the couch with a cup of coffee in her hand. She saw he had a slightly pained look on his face. "Come on, you can tell me."  
  
"Okay, we had talked about Jess, and we came to an understanding of Jess. Rory needed closure." He paused for a moment. "But I never thought in my wildest dreams that he would show up here."  
  
"Neither did I. Neither did Luke, apparently." Lorelai laughed to herself. "Listen kid, Rory loves you. Nothing will ever change that, not her love of coffee, and not even Jess. She just needs to know he's okay, alive and kicking."  
  
Tristan sighed. "Yeah, I know."  
  
The house had become deafeningly silent for a minute. Which was a rarity with a Gilmore in the place. It hadn't changed when Rory went to college. Her room was the same, as was Lorelai's. In fact, there were some clothes still on the bed, collecting dust. The kitchen still had an oven that was never used, and the refrigerator was stocked up with food with past due expiration dates.  
  
Lorelai was worrying about Rory like Tristan was. She was worrying about something different, though. She was worrying as to what this visit would do to the relationships Rory had with different people, because they had changed after Jess left Stars Hollow and her life. She was also worrying after Luke. He had shut Jess out the moment he left for California. Jess hadn't kept his promise, so he was no longer Luke's responsibility. Luke had everything going for him right now. His diner was doing great, Taylor was being human, and Luke was leading a happy life.  
  
"So, we need to start making plans about our escape from the party next Friday." It was Thursday, so they had a week to make the plans. Lorelai continued. "Alright, I say one of you fakes sick, and we all go in my car so I have to be the one that takes you home."  
  
Tristan disagreed. "No no, that will never work, Emily will see right through that one. How about if. . ." Tristan's voice faded as they became more wrapped up in the plans for the escape. 


	2. The Runaway Romeo Meets The Runaway Writ...

Disclaimer: I don't own it.  
  
Author's Note: Thank you so much for the reviews, they made my day, seriously! Jess is out of character in this chapter, I know that. So we'll just say that Cali changed him.  
  
Rory had just left the Kim's to go get some coffee her mother had ordered. Usually when Rory was back in Stars Hollow, she bounced into Luke's with a grin on her face, happy to see the place again. This time, it wasn't like that. She wasn't bouncing, she was sort of dragging her feet, and her mind was thinking thoughts a mile a minute.  
  
"What can I get you?" Jess automatically asked without looking up when he heard the bell above the diner door ring. When the person standing in front of him didn't answer, he looked up. And he was shocked. "Umm, hello."  
  
"Hey." Rory responded, and pointed to the coffee. "I'll take three coffees, one to go later, and two for now." She said somewhat quieter than she usually did.  
  
Jess got her order and stood on the other side of the counter. "So, what have you been up to?"  
  
'Okay, he wants to play it cool.' Rory thought, as she took a sip of the liquid. 'I can do that.' She savored the flavor of the coffee for a moment before answering the question. "I went to Yale, got a degree in Journalism, and I plan to move to New York in a couple months for my job at the Times. You?"  
  
"I went to California, and then I took summer courses to graduate. After that, I took courses at the community college and two years ago I got accepted into UCLA." Jess felt he had to explain his situation to Rory- the one person who cared about what he did at one point in his life. He saw her smile and went on. "After I graduated, I got an offer from the Hartford Post to do a column on Literature. My professor recommended me."  
  
"That's great!" She smiled; for real because she was happy Jess had gotten his act together for once in his life. "I'm happy for you."  
  
While this conversation was going on, Tristan and Lorelai found their minds kept drifting towards the person they were going to marry, and the person they had a crush on. "So, do you want some coffee?"  
  
Lorelai was about to respond when she figured out what Tristan was really asking. "Sure, Rory hasn't brought mine back yet, and I'm getting impatient." She nodded. "So, can I drive?"  
  
"Fine, just don't crash, okay?" Lorelai loved to drive Tristan's Porsche ever since she found out he had one.  
  
The ride to the diner was usually around five minutes, but with Lorelai driving that day it was two. They nearly got a ticket from Taylor but they had run into the diner in time to see Taylor get distracted with another "unruly citizen."  
  
Their outburst of laughing in the diner turned all heads in the place. Including Rory and Jess's. "Hey Jess. Long time no see." Lorelai greeted casually, taking the stool next to Rory at the counter. Tristan just nodded and sat on the other side of Rory. "We were almost arrested by Taylor."  
  
"What did he do this time?" Rory rolled her eyes, unconsciously leaning back towards Tristan. "Did you let her drive?" The question was pointed towards the blonde man getting looks from Jess.  
  
Kissing the top of Rory's head, he replied. "What can I say? I can't resist the Gilmore's."  
  
"Must be the charm." Rory shot back, feeling safe in the loose grip on Tristan's muscular arms. She noticed Jess still standing next to the counter and sat up facing him. "Jess, I would like you to meet Tristan. Tristan, this is Jess." She introduced the guys.  
  
"Nice to meet you." Tristan stuck out his hand. Jess accepted it and made a similar comment.  
  
That was how Miss Patty found them the next moment. She made her entrance in the diner and came to the group of four near the counter. "Oh Rory darling, I'm so thrilled to hear the news. Congratulations." She eyed Tristan, who suddenly got uncomfortable. Rory struggled to keep a straight face. "I see you've got yourself a handsome catch." She winked. "Well, I must be off. I've got a hot date with potential husband number six."  
  
"She never changed." Tristan sat very still for a moment of two trying to get all of the looks Miss Patty was giving him not two seconds earlier.  
  
Rory kissed him on the lips and smiled playfully. "What can I say? She does have good taste, though." She leaned to whisper in his ear. "But I'm am sort of jealous that she's talked to you more than I have on this trip." Tristan just grinned and shrugged.  
  
"Oooh, PDA!" Lorelai shouted out, finishing off Rory's coffee.  
  
Jess had been taking in this whole scene and decided that Tristan was trustworthy, unlike Dean he wouldn't get jealous over nothing and he would be even nicer. "Hey Tristan, can I talk to you?" He spoke more than three words to a total stranger. Maybe California did some good to him after all.  
  
"Yeah, sure." Tristan got up and was sort of nervous. This guy could be taking him out back to give him a beating or something. When he looked at Rory, she shook her head, which was normally a good sign. Maybe he could trust this guy.  
  
They had gotten across the street from the diner when Jess first talked. "Look man, I'm not here to steal Rory or anything."  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
"And I won't."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"I'm here for closure."  
  
"She wants it too, I know."  
  
"Okay, I just want to say," he looked towards Doose's market involuntarily. "If you ever, ever harm her you will pay."  
  
Tristan looked up chuckling. "Don't worry. I won't. Lorelai already as first dibs on killing me, though." He saw Jess's eyes change from serious to blank again. "But I want to know one thing. Why?"  
  
He seemed to interpret the question the way Tristan wanted him to. "I couldn't give Rory what she wanted. I didn't live up to her standards, Luke's standards, even mine." He put his hand out. "Not friends, but not enemies?"  
  
"Yeah," Tristan accepted the offer. He knew that Lorelai and Rory were sitting outside of the diner on the bench their faces covered by newspapers, periodically coming down so they could get a view of the past and present loves of Rory's life. "We're not enemies." He called out, in direction towards the two figures.  
  
Rory put the newspaper down slowly and a grin formed on her face. She got the closure she had wanted. She had gotten the answers to her burning questions, and she found out it wasn't going to be a Dean and Jess thing all over again. Thank goodness for that. Jess interrupted her thoughts by appearing in front of her and speaking. "Well, I've got to get to Hartford. My interview in three hours." He smiled and was off.  
  
The three left were bored already. It seemed like with Jess mature and grown up, and Kristina at the Inn, there was no one wreaking havoc on the small town. "So, where to?" Tristan asked.  
  
"Well, I've got to get to the Inn. We've got some important people coming, and I don't want Michel there to greet them. They might be scared away." Lorelai shrugged, unable to explain her concieges habits.  
  
"And then there was two." Rory said the infamous quote as Lorelai walked out the door. "So, where does this leave us?"  
  
Tristan walked to the video store with Rory. "This leaves us with some popcorn, some movies and some nice chick flicks all day long." He kissed Rory on the forehead as they headed into the store.  
  
"Ah, the infamous Rory curtain is still up." Tristan noted the red curtain blocking off part of the store. He had been informed of all of Taylor's antics to get kids to see only PG rated movies.  
  
"I don't think it'll ever come down." Rory smiled.  
  
They got the movies and were walking towards the Crap Shack when Jackson stopped them. "Rory, it's great to see you again." He hugged the town sweetheart, even after she moved away. "Tristan, it's nice to meet you. However you don't look anything like Babette told me." He shook the man's hand. "Well, I have to go. My eggplants are waiting."  
  
Tristan just stood there with a very confused face for a moment after meeting Jackson. Rory took this moment to speak up. "I'm telling you, Stars Hollow is just a unique town." She smiled and kissed Tristan on the lips before walking forward again.  
  
"Well, I'm just glad I'm here with you." He put an arm around her should and pulled her close.  
  
Rory rolled her eyes and laughed. "Yeah, I'm sure you are, Romeo."  
  
"No, not just Romeo. The runaway Romeo." He referred to the night he was supposed to play Romeo at Chilton but got sent to military school anyways.  
  
"Whatever you say." 


	3. One Couple Engaged, One Couple In Questi...

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I swear.  
  
Author's note: Thanks for the reviews, I seriously appreciate them so much. If you didn't review, I wouldn't blame you, cause it was a sucky chapter. Anyways, thanks for reading this far.  
  
"So, what are we going to do tonight?" Kristina asked Rory, Tristan, Jake, Lane and Dave. They were all sitting inside Luke's eating some unhealthy dinner. The six of them agreed to hang out that night because the rest of the week would most likely be taken up by Emily Gilmore's preparations for the engagement party.  
  
"Movie?"  
  
"Go to Hartford?"  
  
"Shopping?"  
  
"No!" The three guys answered right away.  
  
"Geez, sensitive to the 's' word, aren't you?" Kristina asked, shaking her head.  
  
"How about we just hang out here, see a movie and then go out for some ice cream afterwards?" Rory rationalized. The four people from New Haven were dead tired and the other two were even more tired because of having to deal with Mama Kim.  
  
The idea was something the other five could handle. They weren't really in the mood for clubbing or anything. The movie they saw wasn't that great, they didn't even remember the title. It was an independent film that hadn't got a lot of ratings, but they saw it because no one could settle on just one movie to see.  
  
"So Jakey-poo," Kristina teased her boyfriend, "when are you going to ask me to marry you like Tristan asked Rory?"  
  
All of the color in Jake's face drained when Kristina asked the question. To be honest, he wasn't really thinking of marriage right now and he knew how girls got when they passed the certain point in a relationship. The wedding bells started to play and bridal magazines were bought to find the perfect gown. It was starting to scare him. So, Jake just shrugged and smiled, hoping the non-answer would satisfy her.  
  
Tristan and Rory noticed this and silently agreed to talk to their respective friends after they got back. Dave and Lane didn't notice this interaction because they were too busy smiling and staring at each other. They started dating a very long time ago, but anyone who walked by them on the street would think they had just started dating.  
  
"So, what was the pale face for back there?" Tristan approached the subject after the girls had left to go back to the Gilmore abode, and Dave and Lane had gone home. He and Jake were driving towards the Inn in Tristan's car.  
  
Jake turned to his friend. Tristan never really missed anything. He had the best observation skills anyone could ask for. "I don't know if Kristina is the one I want to marry." He looked down and furrowed his eyebrows together. "She's great to date right now, but I don't really see anything happening, I don't know." His friend was pouring deepest thoughts out to him and Tristan was feeling bad for Kristina.  
  
"I can totally see us like ten years in the future we're still together." Kristina told her best friend. "I can see it."  
  
Rory just nodded, accepting Kristina's point of view. However, the look on Jake's face earlier told a different story about him. After several moments of not saying anything, Rory decided to speak. "Well, there's the thing about guys. It occurred with Tristan in our relationship after we got serious. Sure, they love you, and they love to be with you. But guys' minds are different from ours. We pass this time in a relationship and we think that the guy we're with is the one. I mean, the one." Rory paused, almost hesitating to say the next sentence. "As for the guys, they start to get a little scared because for the first time they realize how serious the relationship is."  
  
"So you think he wants to dump me." Before Rory could comment, Kristina spoke again, this time a little louder. "You do! You know what's going to happen." With that, she got up and calmly walked out of the Crap Shack with tears running down her face.  
  
Rory got up and ran after her, but it was too late, Kristina was gone. "I hope I didn't permanently screw things up." She prayed to herself quietly. The party was a week or less away and if her best friend and maid of honor wasn't there, Rory wasn't sure if she could put up with the party. And that was saying a lot because Tristan and her mom were also going to be there.  
  
Tristan walked through the front door of the Gilmore home and ran to Rory. She was just sitting there in the middle of the hallway curled into a ball. She had a lone tear running down her left cheek and it didn't go unnoticed by her fiancé. "Rory? Hun, what's the matter?" He asked, using a voice so soft it was as if he were afraid to break the silence. And in truth, he was.  
  
"She left. I ruined it." Rory spat out two short sentences, not leaving much for Tristan to go on.  
  
"Who? Lorelai?" Rory shook her head. "Lane? Was it Kristina?" As Kristina's name came out, Rory let out a small sob. So that's what was bothering her. "Hey babe, don't beat yourself up about it. I had a talk with Jake." He wrapped his arms around Rory, giving her a hug.  
  
Rory's voice was muffled be Tristan's chest, but he heard it all the same. "But I had a talk with Kristy too, and she thought I knew something about Jake that she didn't. She thinks they're going to break up." She laughed to herself quietly. She was beginning to realize that it wasn't her problem. It was between Jake and Kristina. "They're going to be fine. It's just a little tiff." She saw Tristan's face stay the same. "Right?" She asked, her voice wavering.  
  
"Uh, yeah." Tristan furrowed his eyebrows, trying to remember every detail of the conversation he had had with his best man. "Umm, about the party, what are you going to wear because I don't want to wear something that will 'like totally clash with your style.'" He imitated a valley girl accent, just trying to get Rory's mind off of the other couple.  
  
The rest of the week for Tristan was spent between the Gilmore's and Jake. The Gilmore's were trying to plan the party, and Jake was trying to figure out things between him and Kristina. Kristina and Rory had gotten over their one-sided fight, realizing that their relationships should be kept separate, and Kristina realizing that if she made Rory unhappy then her party would be ruined. Kind of cheesy, I know.  
  
"So, I think we should have the finest of everything, and guests should have little nameplates by their chairs." Emily Gilmore droned on, on Wednesday around two in the afternoon.  
  
"Great, whatever is fine." Tristan just mechanically nodded when he felt Emily's gaze on him.  
  
Lorelai let out a relieved yell the second she set foot out of the Gilmore mansion. She stopped short when she heard her mother's voice. "Quiet Lorelai, the neighbors will hear you." Emily closed the front door.  
  
"That's Emily for ya." Tristan smiled and took out the keys to his car. "Umm, Rory do you mind riding with Lorelai, I've got something I need to take care of." He smiled reassuringly and drove off before Rory could answer.  
  
"What was that about?" Lorelai asked Rory, as her daughter got into the car.  
  
Rory looked down at her left ring finger and gently touched the diamond that rested there. "I don't know." She had noticed Tristan become a little preoccupied lately.  
  
As that conversation was going on, Tristan was having a conversation of his own. "Hey, can you meet me at Applebees? You know, the one by the highway? Great, I'll see you later." He hung up his cell phone and drove the restaurant he had mentioned.  
  
"Thanks for coming," Tristan greeted his best friend ten minutes later, at Applebees. "Okay, so you've worked everything out alright?" He was referring to Kristina.  
  
Jake nodded. "Yeah, I'm going to take her out to dinner tonight." He smiled. "Thanks for all of your help, man. Kristina would have never given me the time of day after our sort of fight if it hadn't been for you."  
  
Tristan shrugged. "It's no big deal." He looked around. It seemed like the place was filled with women. He sighed. "Just think, in a month I'll be married, and I won't be able to flirt with anyone else anymore."  
  
"How are you and Rory doing anyways?" Jake asked.  
  
"We're okay. But ever since we graduated it's been all about that party." Tristan smiled. "Not that I don't mind, it's just that I want to see my fiancé once in a while without having other people there."  
  
"Then go out tonight." Jake said it as if it were the simplest thing in the world.  
  
Tristan's face brightened at the suggestion. "You're right!" He had a few ideas in his head now; ways to make Rory fall in love with him all over again. He smiled at a few, just thinking about them. Then he thought of a few that would even make him blush; definitely ones that would be not used. 


	4. I Swear

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except umm, myself?

Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews.  And sorry if my writing hasn't been up to par lately, I'm just kinda busy all of a sudden and it sucks.  LoL.  "I Swear" is by All 4 One, so it's not mine.  And sorry it's a little shorter than other chapter, but I just kinda like it the way it is.

Tristan called Rory up after his lunch with Jake and told her that he was taking her out to dinner in the best restaurant in Star's Hollow but to dress casually.  When he arrived at the Gilmore abode, Rory answered the door wearing faded jeans, a white long sleeve shirt and a navy blue sweatshirt jacket that set off her eyes.

"So where is this restaurant anyways, if you can go there dressed like this?"  She motioned towards her outfit.  "I hope it's good, I'm hungry."

Tristan laughed, knowing full well she would like what the 'restaurant' had.  The restaurant was a wicker picnic basket, with food inside made by Sookie.  He had employed the help of Sookie for two reasons: One, Rory loved her cooking; and two, he loved her cooking.  "It's good, you've had it before."

"Whatever you say," Rory just followed Tristan out the door.  "Why aren't we taking the car?"

"You're so full of questions."

"But that's what you love about me."  Rory leaned into Tristan and rested her head on his shoulder while they were walking.

Tristan automatically put his arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head.  "All that, and more."  Five minutes of walking later, they arrived at a small field.  There was a wicker picnic basket sitting in the middle of a wool blanket.  "Welcome to Sookie's House of Food."  He made up a name from the top of his head.

Rory laughed quietly, smiling.  "I think I've been here before."  She looked up at her fiancé.  "Why all this?"  She asked, once they had sat down and started eating their delicious meal.

"Cause I've been sort of busy lately and it's not fair to you."  Tristan added, "And I kind of want to see my fiancé without other people around talking about that party."

Rory swallowed her bite of food, and nodded.  "I love my grandmother and all, but I just wanna get this thing over with because,"

"You can't wait to get hitched to me, right?"

"Well, actually, I was about to say I couldn't wait to go to Europe again."  She was referring to their honeymoon spot, or spots actually.  "But to get there, I need to get married to you, so I guess I can't wait for that, either."

 "Naw, you just can't wait for the wedding night."  When Rory blushed, Tristan grinned.  After all this time he could still make her nervous.  It was one of the millions of reasons he loved her.  "I'm just kidding."  He whispered into her ear before pulling her close.

The 'restaurant' closed around eleven when Rory started getting tired.  "Well, goodnight, I'll see you tomorrow."  Tristan leaned in for a goodnight kiss when Rory stopped him.

"Nope, you're going to stay."  She led him in by his hand and went to her room.  "Sit."  She ordered, and Tristan sat on her bed.  After she got dressed into her pajamas, she laid down next to him and said, "Now you're going to sing me to sleep."

"Ma'am, yes Ma'am."  Tristan mock saluted her and settled down for a peaceful night with Rory in his arms.  "What do you want me to sing?"

"Whatever you want, Tris."  Rory looked up at Tristan and gave him a kiss that could have possibly been the longest kiss on record.

After smiling down at a woman who looked more like an angel at the moment, Tristan nodded.  He thought of a song that she would remember, one that she would know.  He smiled as he started singing.  He was remembering their one-year anniversary they spent in a bookstore.  So cliché, but it was the perfect spot.

_"I swear by the moon_

_And the stars and the sky,_

_And I swear,_

_Like the shadow that's by your side_

_I see the questions on your eyes,_

_I know what's waiting on your mind._

_You can be sure I know my part_

_'Cause I stand beside you through the years_

_You'll only cry those happy tears_

_And though I've made mistakes,_

_I'll never break your heart,"_

He was watching her soak up the details of the dimly lit room.  The candlelight was making the books seem old and comforting, which they were to Rory.  However, the candlelight was also highlighting Rory's beautiful face more than regular lighting did.

_"And I swear by the moon_

_And the stars in the sky_

_I swear like the shadow that's by your side,_

_I'll be there for better for worse,_

_Till death do us part,_

_I'll love you with every beat of my heart,_

_And I swear,"_

He smiled as he raised a glass of wine towards his girlfriend.  To one year.  May we have many more like these.  "Rory Gilmore, would you give me the honor of dancing with you?"  He asked as "I Swear" by All 4 One came on the stereo.  Rory smiled her magical smile and stood up with the help of Tristan.  It was when they were dancing together everything was right in the world, even more so than when they were together normally.

"Hey Bible Boy," Rory whispered, afraid to break the silence that had been well built.  "I'll be there for better for worse,"

"Till death do us part," he whispered the rest of the lyrics before leaning down to capture her mouth in his.

_"I'll give you everything I can,_

_I'll build your dreams with these two hands_

_We'll hang some memories on the wall_

_And when just the two of us are there,_

_You won't have to ask if I still care,_

_'Cause as time turns the page,_

_My love won't age at all,"_

Later that night they had finally exchanged gifts.  Rory's gift to Tristan was year round pass to the arcade he loved so much in New Haven.  He was getting up there in age, but he still had his boyish streak.  She also got him a silver necklace that he had wanted to buy, but ever really bought it for himself.  It wasn't much, but they had agreed on nothing too big.

As for Tristan, his gift blew Rory away.  It was a first edition of one of her favorite books, Pride and Prejudice.  He also got an old looking book that went by the name of "Romeo and Juliet," something that had a double meaning.  However, inside the front cover of the book was a poem written by Tristan the day they had gotten together.  And on the back cover was a poem written by Tristan that morning.  Rory had fallen head over heels for Tristan again and said so, while also saying that she could spend the rest of her life like that, in Tristan's arms, sharing a moment that was sure to last in memory.

_"And I swear by the moon,_

_And the stars in the sky, I'll be there,_

_And I swear like the shadow that's by your side_

_I'll be there, for better for worse,_

_Till death do us part, I'll love you_

_With every beat of my heart and I swear_

_And I swear by the moon,_

_And the stars in the sky I'll be there,_

_And I swear like the shadow that's by your side,_

_I'll be there, for better for worse_

_Till death do us part I'll love you_

_With every beat of my heart,_

_I swear, I swear, I swear,"_


	5. Planning For Multiple Occasions

Disclaimer: I don't know it.  
  
Author's Note: Umm, nothing really. This is kind of a filler chapter, but it'll do. That's about it. And thank you for the reviews, even though my writing lately has sucked. I apologize profusely. Life decided to throw many curve balls in my direction lately, and I've been dealing with a hectic life.  
  
Lorelai woke up around ten am, a reasonable time to wake up. As she walked down the stairs, she looked out the window and saw Tristan's Porsche in the gravel driveway. Curious, she looked towards her right. No, no Tristan sleeping on the couch. Her curiosity peaking, she looked towards Rory's bedroom. The door was closed, and no sound was coming from it. Except maybe,  
  
"Tristan snores?" Lorelai asked herself quietly as she turned the doorknob to Rory's room. The open door revealed the sleeping couple just holding each other tight, almost as if they were afraid to let go. She smiled as she slowly closed the old door, and went about her merry way to get coffee.  
  
"Morning Mom," Rory greeted her mom as she walked into the kitchen to find her mom sipping coffee. She looked back into her room to see Tristan's sleeping figure - he rarely slept in, so it was good for him to catch up on his sleep once in a while. "Any left for me?"  
  
Lorelai acted shocked. "Are you saying I'm not a good mother? Anyone knows that you're the second most important coffee drinker in the world, so yes there is some left for you." She stopped for a moment. "But I don't know now, I might just drink it." There was just a gleam in her eyes that made Rory try to grab the coffee pot.  
  
"Coffee!" Rory ran to the counter, only to be stopped by Lorelai's arm. "You've had like twenty cups!"  
  
"I know, what's one more gonna hurt?" Lorelai yelled back. Then she stopped, as did Rory. "We're fighting over coffee?"  
  
"What's the world coming to?" Rory asked, as she poured herself the last cup of liquid. "That's sad, really." Just as she put the cup to her lips, Lorelai saw what she was doing.  
  
"Hey! That's the last cup of heavenly liquid, young lady." She exclaimed.  
  
Tristan, who had woken up to the screaming of the two Gilmore girls, was watching from the doorway. He looked left and right before crossing into the kitchen. "Calm down, Lorelai. I'll go get you some when I go to Luke's." He patted her shoulder and kissed Rory good morning.  
  
"What about me?" Rory asked. She held up her left hand, which had a rock on it. "I'm the fiancée remember?"  
  
"Really? I could swear that my fiancée was named Ashley." Tristan pretended to think. Then he broke out into a grin. "Of course I remember, I'll guess I'll get you coffee too, just hurry up and get ready."  
  
During the short walk to Luke's, the trio was dreading the next day- the party. Well, actually, two of them were, one of them was very verbal about it.  
  
"Why, oh why did I agree to let my mother have this party?" Lorelai asked the question that had been running thorough her mind ever since her mother had brought the subject of a possible party up. "We don't even have an escape plan yet." She looked around the diner they had just walked into.  
  
"We'll figure out something when we're there." Tristan assured his future mother in law. The thought made him smile. In less than a year he'd be married to Rory.  
  
His actions caused Rory to look at him with a confused look. "What's up?" She asked, sitting next to him at a table.  
  
"Nothing, just thinking."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"You."  
  
"No you aren't."  
  
"Yes, I am."  
  
"No, cause you've got this faraway look, so it can't be me, cause I'm right here."  
  
"Yes, it can be you because," he paused, not really having a defense. "Well, just because."  
  
Rory grinned in triumph. "I won! Loser buys the coffee."  
  
Tristan mimicked her. "I won! Woo hoo, don't I always buy the coffee?" His tone was joking.  
  
"Yeah, but that's why I love you so much." She kissed him.  
  
The man next to her ran a hand through his blonde hair. He laughed, "And all this time I thought it was because it was my handsome looks and boyish charm that you loved me." He looked at Lorelai. "Is that why you like me so much? The coffee?"  
  
All Lorelai could do without busting out in hysterics was lift up her, now full, coffee mug and say, "Bottoms up."  
  
The breakfast was one of the more hilarious that had been shared between the Gilmore's and Tristan. After breakfast though, Lorelai had to get to work because Sookie was cooking something that she hadn't cooked at the Inn before, so there needed to be someone who had a cell phone handy that could dial 911. "See you later, sweets." She kissed Rory on the head and grinned at Tristan. "Bye Coffee Boy." Tristan just shook his head as he watched Lorelai's retreating figure.  
  
"So, what do we do now?" Rory asked after Tristan paid for the meal and they were in Tristan's Porsche back at the Crap Shack.  
  
"How about we look at houses?" He asked, rather seriously. They still hadn't decided on a place to live, and after all, in a short time they would be married and would need a roof over their heads.  
  
"We're just now going to look?" Rory asked, totally forgetting about the fact that they needed a place to live. "Isn't it kind of late for that? What if we don't find a place? What if we can't afford it?" She rambled.  
  
Tristan grabbed a hold of one of her flailing arms and smiled. "One, it is never too late. Two, we will find a place because I'm a DuGrey. Three, we can afford it." He kissed the back of her hand.  
  
Rory nodded and let out a breath of relief. He was right, they would because he was a DuGrey. And in the future, the not so far future, she would be too.  
  
The rest of the day was spent looking at places in Hartford, and a town nearby Stars Hollow. Tristan had gotten a job at a publishing house, and Rory was working in that city as well, at the Hartford Gazette. They had fallen in love with a spacious three-bedroom apartment sort of near where Chilton was.  
  
"What did you think of that house?" Tristan asked as they pulled away from a mansion around six o'clock.  
  
Rory looked to her left. "It was okay."  
  
"But?"  
  
"But what?"  
  
"There was a but."  
  
"Really?" Rory rolled her eyes for the millionth time in the last two years. "Well, I guess it had too much room. There's not enough room, just enough room, and too much room. And the not enough room is something like 30 people in an elevator at a hotel. Just enough room was that apartment we both liked back by Chilton, and too much room is one person living in the White House." She supplied examples.  
  
Tristan, as usual, was just smiling at Rory's antics. That girl loved to ramble on about stuff. "So you liked that apartment?"  
  
"Duh."  
  
"Good, cause I did too." Tristan looked over at Rory. "Do you want me to call them tomorrow?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
They had gotten back to Stars Hollow by then, a half hour later than when they left Hartford. Lorelai had called them and told them to meet her at Luke's because she had come up with a plan.  
  
A plan she had come up with. Really. When the two had walked into Luke's, they saw Lorelai in the back corner with a poster. The poster contained a layout of the Gilmore mansion and stick figures with pictures of the important peoples faces. "So," She started, pointing to Tristan's face on the poster. "You will head to the library where Rory will, obviously, be trying to avoid the people by reading some book by a dead guy."  
  
"I will not!" Rory interrupted.  
  
Lorelai looked at her kid and hid a smile. "Sure you won't honey." She shrugged. "Okay, you'll be trying to avoid the people by flirting with a really hot guy."  
  
"She will not!" Tristan added his two cents.  
  
Lorelai looked at Tristan and hid a smile. He really did care for Rory. "At this rate we won't get to the awesome part where we get the cake to 'accidentally' fall off the serving tray and with all the big fuss about the cake is when we climb out the windows."  
  
Tristan and Rory shared a look. This was going to be an interesting night. 


	6. Partay at the Gilmore Mansion

Disclaimer: Take it, take it all. I don't have much.  
  
Author's Note: Umm, I know my writing hasn't been up to par. There have been many factors contributing to that. All I can say is I am sorry and I promise I'll try to make my writing at least somewhat resemble that of what was in 'Just Roommates.' And thank you for the reviews, by the way. Also, seriously last thing: you may think some characters might be occ, but I don't really know.  
  
"Come on we're going to be late!" Tristan called throughout the house. He was in Stars Hollow waiting for Rory and Lorelai to finish getting ready.  
  
"No!" Lorelai whined from her upstairs bedroom, as she was putting the final touches on her outfit.  
  
Rory had already been ready for a few minutes. She piped up, "He's right."  
  
"What?" Her mom quickly appeared at the top of the stairs. "Since when are you siding with Bible Boy?"  
  
"Uhh, since I decided to marry him." Rory rolled her eyes.  
  
"Oh, now that's an excuse." Lorelai rolled her eyes.  
  
"Oh yeah, I know." The younger one nodded, fairly confidently.  
  
Tristan, who had been observing the scene, checked his watch. "Enough talking about me, even though you know I am always the topic of conversation." He ginned and buffed his nails against his sport coat. "But we really do need to get moving."  
  
Rory rolled her eyes. "Oh, and that ego rears it's ugly head."  
  
"You know it."  
  
The playful banter kept up during the car rife to the Gilmore mansion. Unfortunately, it all ceased when the humongous house came into view. They quieted down and got serious, because of the amount of cars parked in the surrounding area.  
  
"Lorelai, must you always be late?" Emily pounced on the three when they were being helped by a maid to take off their coats. "The guests are waiting."  
  
Lorelai responded. "Maybe it's genetics?"  
  
"Nonsense, let's get going."  
  
After the guests of honor were announced, they were forced to go their separate ways in the house. In one room, Rory was trying to make conversation with a few of her grandmothers friends from the DAR. In another room, Tristan was being his charming self, but never outright flirting with the women who were in attendance. However, he never failed to mention Rory had his heart and soul. Lorelai saw this action and smiled. He truly was in love. Not that she ever had a doubt.  
  
But Rory did that day, for the first time. She was passing by the den and saw a sight that almost sickened her. She shouldn't be angry, she knew. But she was.  
  
Tristan was in the middle of a group of women, grinning. The girls were all drinking wine or something to that effect. That didn't bother her, no. The fact that they were very touchy feely, while on their way to getting drunk, wasn't too acceptable, but she accepted it. However, the fact that Tristan was responding back like he was, was not okay. It was definitely not okay. And her mom was standing there right beside him!  
  
"Ugh," Rory yelled out in disgust when she had left the scene a minute or two later. Somewhere in the back of her head, a tiny voice was saying don't jump to conclusions, but does anyone ever listen to that voice? No. She stomped her foot and turned on her heel to go towards her grandmother, where she was being called.  
  
Tristan knew something was up when they were opening up the gifts everyone had brought. It was mostly money, but there were tons of gifts, too. Rory's actions seemed forced, and even her smile wasn't that genuine. To a stranger, it would appear to be the most dazzling smile they had ever seen, but to Tristan and Lorelai, it wasn't.  
  
"What's wrong, hun?" Tristan asked once they were done with the gifts. Everyone had turned back to their previous conversations about business, and were eating. "Are you feeling okay?"  
  
"Okay? No, I'm not okay." Rory stated and turned her head towards her mother across the room. "Now I got to go talk to my mom, okay?"  
  
Jake had witnessed the exchange between the couple. "What was that all about?" He asked, putting a hand on Tristan's shoulder.  
  
"I don't know, man, I don't know."  
  
When the guests were starting to leave, Tristan finally cornered Rory. "Okay, what is wrong? And if you say you're okay, I know you're lying." He put his arms on both sides of Rory so she couldn't get out.  
  
It oddly reminded her of Chilton. Chilton. The place that started the whole attraction in the first place. The place where they had met. The place where the play was supposed to take place. The place where everything started. "I thought you were different."  
  
"I am." Tristan answered, confused.  
  
"No, why were you flirting with those girls?"  
  
"What girls?"  
  
"You know, the girls."  
  
"Ror, there were lots of girls here tonight." Tristan defended, more confused than ever. "What are you talking about? The real reason?"  
  
Rory looked around, trying to find an escape. "You always seem flirty with girls? I don't know if it's me being jealous or you just being you, and I've never noticed it."  
  
"Aww, you're jealous." Tristan placed his hands over his heart, unlocking Rory from the temporary cell. "Seriously, all I did was talk, today."  
  
She seemed to accept that answer, and get over it. Keywords being, 'seemed to.' It was common; she did get a little bit jealous, only because she knew how much he had changed. She was started to get confused, as am I, do she decided to stop confusing herself even more. (A/N: Sorry about that, I just typed, and I don't feel like deleting. Last time, I swear.)  
  
"So, is it all good?" Jake asked, after everyone was getting ready to leave. When Tristan nodded, he continued. "Hey, you want to have a guys night? Sort of like the old days, in military school."  
  
Tristan shrugged. He didn't have any plans anyway. "Sure, why not? Girls have them all the time." He paused. "Except this time, we won't have guys with guns watching our every move." He smiled, remembering the guards that guarded the buildings on the campus of the prestigious school.  
  
After saying goodbye to Rory, which still confused him and worried him a bit, Tristan left with Jake to hang out and chill, like they used to do in college, before Rory and him started dating.  
  
"So man, you're going to be married soon. Everything is planned, are you ready?" Jake asked, running a hand through his hair. It must have been a bad habit he picked up from Tristan. Tristan still ran his hand over his head in military school, even when he got a buzz but.  
  
There was a long silence. Tristan was fully attentive, and aware of the question, but he couldn't answer. Maybe it was just cold feet, or maybe it was the 'problem' that Rory seemed to have that night. It could have been a million things, but Tristan DuGrey was sure of one thing: He might not be ready.  
  
"Tristan?" Jake asked, unaware of the inner battle Tristan was going through at the moment. "Are you okay, man?"  
  
Tristan nodded ever so slowly. He checked his watch. It was nearing midnight; he wasn't surprised, the time had passed quickly that evening, due to the fact of the party. He wasn't tired, though. He was still dressed in his jacket and tie. The tie was starting to bother him; he was surprised that it was still in the original knot. He thought for sure by now the noose would be loose around his neck. But it wasn't. This small detail, something that would have been overlooked by any other person and any other time bothered him.  
  
He didn't know what he was dong anymore. He was going through the motions, nodding and smiling, even commenting when he was prompted to. Half the time he didn't know what he was saying, or doing. Except for when it came to one thing: Rory. He always knew what he was doing with her.  
  
Her. It always came back to her. But he couldn't see her right now. Because right now, she reminded him of everything that he left when he was a teenager. She reminded him of the Hartford family that he still had but despised. She reminded him of the time that he purposely got into trouble.  
  
The time he purposely got into trouble for her attention resulted in Military school.  
  
"Jake," he whispered. "I've got to go, I'll be back, don't worry, just don't call for a few days, okay buddy?"  
  
With that, Tristan DuGrey walked out of the hotel room, and away from everything he knew. 


	7. Mini Road Trip

Disclaimer: By now you know the drill.

Author's note: Don't worry, it's a Trory, remember?  It'll be all good.  Or will it?  Thanks for the reviews; they made my crappy day not so crappy!  And the distance from where Tristan started from and where he ended up isn't accurate.  So, sue me cause I am so not a map person.  LoL.  And, I'm sooooooooo sorry for the flipping year long wait.

I know I promised myself that I would never ask people this, cause it probably make someone not want to do it, but please review this if you read it.  Even if it's to say, "Nice." Or something like that would work.  Okay, sorry, go on with the story.

Jake sat on his bed at the Inn shocked for a few moments after Tristan left.  What did Tristan mean?  "'Don't call me for a few days, okay buddy?'"  What the hell did that stuff mean?  Jake got up from his spot and looked out the window.  Tristan's Explorer was pulling out of its spot in the parking lot.  He wondered why Tristan didn't have his other car, but then he remembered that Rory and Lorelai had it.  They were probably going joy riding right then, too.

Tristan let out a breath that he was holding ever since he left Jake's room.  He had just turned on the radio and was confused.  He didn't know where he was going, but he knew that he had to go somewhere.  He still had that primal instinct to run away from some of your problems.  He didn't have any really clear problems at the moment; it was murky.

DuGrey turned on the radio and pulled out of the Inn's parking lot.  He headed onto the nearest highway and went south.  After an hour of driving on deserted stretches of road, he knew where he was going.  Back to where this all started – North Carolina.

At the same time Tristan was heading back to his second home, Rory and her mother were indeed driving Tristan's Porsche.  They were momentarily interrupted when a cell phone started ring.  It was Lorelai's judging by the ring tone – a cow mooing.

"Hello?"  She picked up, not bothering to look at the caller id.

"Lorelai?"

The voice sounded familiar, but she wasn't sure.  "Jake?"

"Yeah," he answered.  "Look, just tell Rory if she asks that I was just calling to complain about Michel or something like that."

Lorelai started to worry.  He sounded as if he was really worried, and that made her worry.  Call it motherly instincts.  But somehow, she knew some back news was about to break.  "Okay, what did Michel do now?"

"Tristan just left."

"He what?"

"He left," Jake repeated.  "He told me not to call him for a couple days, and I'm going to respect his wishes."

Lorelai managed to grumble a response.  "I will too, I guess."

When she hung up, Rory immediately asked whom it was who called.  "Oh, it was just Jake calling to complain about Michel.  He wouldn't let Kristina use the Inn's phone because the one in her room wouldn't do long distance, and she had to call her family to let them know she was still alive."

"Oh, okay."  Rory went back to looking out of the window.

Lorelai almost breathed a sigh of relief when Rory answered.  She just prayed they wouldn't get on the topic of Tristan.  To avoid doing that, Lorelai started reaching for the car radio.  Hopefully a good song was playing.

But she was too slow.  Rory opened her mouth and started talking.  "So, I blew up at Tristan today, somewhat."  She confided.  "I don't know why.  I never thought I was the jealous type.  Everyone knows I got enough of that with Dean.  But apparently I am jealous, cause I got jealous over such a small thing.  I don't know why."

"I'm sure he's going to do that in the future, hon." Lorelai tried to keep it short.  She was heading back to Stars Hollow, so they could have a movie night.  Whether or not Rory needed it, Lorelai did.  She had dealt with her parents for far too long that night.

"Yeah, but I don't want him to be mad at me.  Or think I'm going to do that every time he talks to another woman."  Rory announced.  "He's been so patient, and so kind."

"Maybe it's cold feet or something."  Lorelai reasoned.  "Just a different version, of course."  She nodded, trying to convince herself more than Rory.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rory getting out her cell phone.  When she asked her daughter was doing, Rory replied, "Maybe I should call him or something.  I feel bad."

"No!"  The word came out a little more forcefully than Lorelai meant.  'Oh, I am so going to hell for this one,' she thought.  "I just mean they were having a guys night, right?  Well, maybe you should wait until tomorrow afternoon or something."

Twenty minutes after Rory agreed to wait to call Tristan, they arrived in Stars Hollow.  They were sitting in their living room of their house, having a movie night.  There was an array of junk food spread out on the table, most of which was chocolate.

"And the contenders for tonight are "Bend It Like Beckham," "Charlie's Angels II," and the greatest movie in the world, "Willy Wonka."  The older Gilmore held up each movie as she announced it.  "Bend It has great accents that we can mock, and Charlie's Angels must be seen because the hot surfer dude.  And of course, Willy Wonka is just needed."

Rory grinned.  "And the theme for tonight would be?"  She grabbed a bag of chocolate covered pretzels, and observed her mom put the tape in the VCR.

"Duh, it's female empowerment.  Well, except for Charlie."  Lorelai thought for a moment.  "He's just there cause he's mandatory for this night to happen."

Meanwhile, in Jersey City, Tristan was buying some clothes that would last him through the week.  He also wrote an email to Rory, explaining everything that was running through his head when he got in his car and left Connecticut.  By the time she would get it in the next couple days, he would be closer to North Carolina.

Without looking back, he left the twenty-four hour store and hopped into his car.  Turning on the radio, he drove off.  The songs that were playing didn't really interest him at the moment, so he decided to put in a CD to keep him going.

Tristan blindly picked out a CD and put it in the player without looking.  When he pushed play, he was surprised to hear John Mayer's voice pouring through the speakers.  'So that's where it was,' he thought about Rory.  She had been looking high and low for the CD for about a week.  Smiling, he turned to track ten on the "Room For Squares" album.  Rory swore that the song reminded her of him.

_"Back to you_

_It always comes around_

Back to you," 

He thought about it.  Lately everything came back to her, Rory, his fiancé, and the love of his life.  For the short time he had been listening to the radio, nearly every song related back to her in some shape or form.

_"I tried to forget you_

_I tried to stay away_

But it's too late," 

When they were dating, Rory said that after he left, she tried to forget him; brush him off as a bad memory from tenth and eleventh grade; just some boy who got under her skin.  But when he was in Chilton, she tried to stay away from him.  Of course that never worked, because Tristan always seemed to be where she was.  He always found her.  And she said that it was too late for all of that because she was not in love with him.

_"Over you_

_I'm never over_

_Over you,"_

Rory also had said that the day he left for military school was the day she knew that she wouldn't be able to forget him for a million years.  It was true, because she never really did get over him.  He wasn't a forgotten memory, he was a living one.

_"Something about you_

_It's just the way you move_

The way you move me," 

Tristan smiled at the lyrics.  He was starting to like this song.  Lorelai Leigh Gilmore definitely moved him.  She moved him just by being alive.  She had motivated him throughout his duration in North Carolina.  And when they met again, she had moved him to try harder in school while they were still at Yale.

_"I'm so good at forgetting_

_And I quit every game I play_

_But forgive me, love_

_I can't turn and walk away_

This way," 

Tristan saw that there were no other cars on the deserted highway.  He couldn't blame them, it was two am.  He was only still driving because he couldn't sleep.  Every time he closed his eyes, a picture of his Chilton days came into focus.  Until now, he had been so good at forgetting most of the stuff he did in North Carolina, and some of the stuff he did his junior year at Chilton.  He didn't really talk about it, much.  Sometimes he talked with Jake about the way it used to be, but not much.  But now that Tristan was heading back, he couldn't turn and walk away from the memories that were now flooding back to him.

_"Back to you_

_It always comes around_

_Back to you,"_

Tristan found it quite funny how throughout the song, most of his thoughts reflected on Rory Gilmore.  Yes, she was his fiancé, but she had acted different towards him tonight for no reason.  Was she changing her mind?  Did that give him a reason to be mad, just because she got mad?

"I walk with your shadow 

_I'm sleeping in my bed_

_With your silhouette,"_

It was around three in the morning for both Tristan and Rory.  In Stars Hollow, Rory was just drifting off to sleep, feeling sort of wired without Tristan's arms around her.  Somewhere in Jersey City, New Jersey Tristan was checked into a hotel suite and lying on the bed, picturing Rory beside him- she usually was when he fell asleep.

_"Should have smiled in that picture_

_It it's the last I'll see of you_

_It's the least you_

Could not do," 

Tristan remembered when he was in North Carolina, the only picture he had of Rory was of Rory and him sitting at a lunch table.  He was smiling, and Rory was engrossed in a book, as usual.  The picture, taken by a friend at another table, showed a heated one-sided conversation.  'It was one of many,' he would think before putting it in his drawer in school.

_"Leave the light on_

_I'll never give up on you,"_

Rory had said it a million times, and she would say it over and over.  She would never give up on Tristan, no matter how unbelievably annoying his smirk got.

_"Leave the light on_

_For me too,"_

Tristan was slowly succumbing to the sleep that had overtaken him, with Rory on his mind.  Big surprise, there.  He didn't bother to turn the light off because somehow he wasn't able to get used to the fact that she wasn't there.

_"Back to me,_

_I know it comes_

_Back to me,"_

Rory faintly heard John Mayer playing on her stereo, which was on to help her sleep better.  All of a sudden, it came to her.  Her CD was in Tristan's car, from when she had borrowed it a week ago.  For some reason, it always came back to him.

_"Doesn't it scare you_

_You will's not as strong_

_As it used to be,"_

Tristan was falling asleep, semi conscious counting the number of times he gave into Rory.  No matter if it was coffee or seeing grandparents, he always gave into her.  It was because he was happy just being with her.  It just always came back to her.

Yet another annoying author's note: I have been playing "Back to You" over and over and over, so that's why it's in here.  Peace.


	8. Those Darn Cell Phones

Author's Note: Umm, I don't know, I'm going to try to make it funny somehow here, but I can't really like do the whole drama thing and make it funny.  I'm just not that talented, and I seriously praise everyone who can.  LoL.  Alright, that's about it for me.  Ooh, one more thing: updates might not be that great cause I've started winter guard practices and all that stuff, but yeah, I'm kind of busy now.  Damn life for making me busy.

Disclaimer: Why do people use these things cause we all know by now that ASP isn't writing on here.

The next morning Rory woke up to the smell of coffee.  It wasn't an unusual occurrence in the Gilmore household.  She looked out of her room and saw Lorelai sitting at the kitchen table with her laptop.  She saw Rory and greeted her.  "Good morning, my child."  She looked at the clock.  "Or should I say afternoon?"

Rory glanced at the wall clock as well.  "Two pm?  Why didn't you wake me up?"

"I figured that you were tired from the party last night."  She typed on the keyboard for a moment.  "It's a shame that we couldn't use my plan.  It was a great one, too.  Especially the part where we have those microphones like they did in Charlie's Angels, so we could talk to each other and look for the window of opportunity."  Lorelai went on.

Rory just poured herself a cup of java and nodded her head.  When her mom wasn't looking, she turned the computer and we to check her mail.  When she logged onto her Yahoo account, she noticed an email from Tristan.  When Rory clicked on it, she saw a note from her fiancé.

            _Hey Ror.  I don't even know where to start.  First, I should ask how you're doing.  I'm doing okay.  I think.  That's what I have to do.  Think.  So, that's why I am in Jersey City.  I left Jake's around midnight.  I've been driving for about two hours or so. _

_            On thing I need you to know is I'm coming back, this isn't a replay of Jess.  I promise you.  Second, I know where I am headed now, and will be back in a week or less depending._

_            I know this must be frustrating, just reading this and seeing I've left without even a hint.  I was just sitting at the Inn and talking to Jake and started to feel so suffocated.  For a moment, I thought I was turning back into a socialite – nodding when I had to, and saying comments when it was necessary.  I figured if I was turning back into a socialite, I was going back to my old ways, as you mentioned earlier._

_            I know you have a ton of questions, so you can call me in a day or so.  Even if you don't, leave a voice message so I can hear you are alive and breathing?  I want to hear your voice, it's only been two hours and I want to hear your laugh- it always made me smile.  Or smirk.  God, I am so whipped._

_            Hopefully, I will talk to you sometime soon.  And I need you to know that I love you more than the day we got together (finally after a million years), the day we said I love you, the day we got engaged.  And I must admit, I was, and still am, a very happy man.  Well, I better get going.  I love you.  Tristan._

Rory read the email with mixed emotions.  She was shocked, surprised, but not that surprised.  She was frustrated.  Tristan had been acting a little different lately, but not so much that she should be concerned.  She was frustrated because she knew that she had helped cause him to feel as if he had to leave.

"Oh gosh," she whispered quietly, as the tears fell down her cheeks.  All Lorelai could do was comfort her crying daughter and hope that Tristan came back soon.

Rory sobbed for a great while.  It seemed forever for her, but it was really only half the day.  Rory and her mother just ended up having a movie/family day.  They were talking about things they hadn't talked about in the longest time – since Rory was still at Chilton.

Lorelai asked her daughter is she was mad at Tristan.  Mad at him for just taking off, it just wasn't like him to do that.  When Rory just shook her head, she prompted an explanation.  "Well, we all have out breaking points.  And we all deal with them differently."  She thought for a moment.  "You know how I deal?  I drink tons of coffee, and almost always end up in Stars Hollow having a movie night with you."  She smiled.

"Like my point was breaking away from my parents?"

"In a way, yes."  Rory continued.  "He just, has a different kind of coffee he drinks, and he doesn't go home.  He takes a little road trip."

"Speaking of the heavenly liquid, want to go get some?"  Lorelai asked, hopefully.

"Have I ever said no?" Rory countered.

Her mom responded, "Well, no."

The younger nodded.  "Exactly."

"So with the wedding mostly dealt with, what about the honeymoon?"  Lorelai wiggled her eyebrows up and down.

The blush that crept onto Rory's cheeks was predictable - bright read.  "MOM!"  She hit her mom's left arm."

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow."  The hurt one exaggerated her injury.  "That left a gash in my arm, with that rock you carry on your finger.  It could pass for half a brass knuckle."

"I thought you didn't like blood."  Rory smirked.  Yet another habit she had picked up from that unbelievably hot blonde she had for a future husband.

Lorelai appeared to think for a moment, as they entered the diner.  "No, I don't."  She added an afterthought.  "Once, when I was little, a maid was picking up a vase that mom dropped, and she cut her hand open, and I was horrified, I couldn't look at her hand—"

Rory stopped her mother from going on a babbling rampage.  "Mom.  Why did you add 'gaping'?"  They sat down at the counter.  "It implies blood, and according to you, you don't like the red stuff."

"No, it doesn't," was the argument.

"It so does,"

"I so does not,"

"Does too,"

"Does not,"

"Does too,"

"Does not,"

Another voice came into the mini battle they had going on for a second.  "It does and does not.  It all depends on the context it is used in, in a sentence.  The literary use counts."

"Why thank you, Professor Jess.  I'm glad you actually managed to make it to a class or two in college."  Lorelai had a joking tone to her voice.  She didn't exactly love the man, but she didn't despise him.

Jess laughed.  "I know, I surprised myself."  He said, holding a coffee pot up in his left hand.

Rory lifted her oversized mug, and smirked again.  "Cheers!"

Lorelai smiled and then held her cup up.  And then it shot straight out towards Jess.  "I would cheer you, but I need something to drink after I cheer up."  She snuck a look towards the coffee pot that wasn't all too obvious.

The next couple of days were rough for all of the people involved in the wedding party.  Rory was having a hare time, because she was trying to gather the courage to call Tristan's cell phone.  Usually, when she picked up the phone, her fingers would automatically start to dial those seven familiar numbers.  But, she just couldn't do it.

Tristan was in North Carolina.  But now that he was there, he didn't know what to do.  He knew it all started here, he just didn't know what to do about it.  As he was thinking, he walked into a small restaurant to get some breakfast, that early morning.

When he walked in, he saw a sight he did not expect to see.  "Kylie?"  He asked, swaggering up to the counter.  He thought he saw the waitress from the small diner that Rory and him always used to frequent when they were at Yale.

"That's my name."  She looked up.  "Holy wow, what are you doing here?"

"Umm, road trip?"  He said, more as a question than as a statement.  "I'm actually here for the service.  I'm telling you, that diner is just not the same."  Tristan grinned his famous grin.

Kylie put a hand on her hip.  "Riiight, now the real reason, please."

By the time Tristan and Rory had left Yale, they had considered Kylie a friend of theirs.  Rory especially, sine Kylie tended to give her free coffee and refills on some days.  After thinking about this fact, Tristan continued.  "Well, we had the engagement party.  And apparently I was hitting on girls or something like that, but Rory got all mad."  He swallowed a sip of orange juice.  "Then we just left it at that, and Jake and I, he's the best man, we were going to just hang out, and I just left.  I drove, and drove."

"And you're here?"

"In the flesh."

"Great."  Kylie rolled her eyes.  After receiving a glare from the man across the counter from her, she said, "Alright, alright.  What'll it be?"  She got out her order pad, but didn't really need it, seeing as there were very few people in the place.  It was almost as if she drove away customers, rather than serving them.

"The omelets okay?"  And the two fell into a silence, both thinking about the relationship of the coffee lover and the juice lover.  They stayed in silence up until the point that Tristan's food came out.  After a few words were exchanged, it went back to silence, something that was soon shattered.

The cell phone ring was what broke the silence.


	9. Seeing Old Faces

Author's Note: Wow, I checked the date for the last time I updated. December of 2003, and it's 2005. Intense. Oh well, I was just going through my account stuff, and I've decided ((keyword being try)) to finish the story because it just bugs the daylight out of my when stories aren't finished.

I admit, I don't really watch the show hardcore anymore. So, I guess you could call this AU since it's been forever. I don't really write all that much anymore, so I'm a bit rusty at the writing deal. I'm just more of a reader now. So, if the story just absolutely sucks or there is a shift in character voice, I apologize.

Forgot the time frame, so we're gonna make it August-ish. The wedding isn't too far off.

I don't know all the proper lingo for the military school stuff. Even though my dad is a Marine, I know nothing, so sorry about that. So, obviously, the people are probably a lot tougher than how I portray them to be in this chapter.

With that said, thanks for all the reviews encouraging me to continue. Loved the Spanish one, by the way. Anyways, on with the story.

A bit of the last chapter to refresh everyone's memories:

"And you're here?"

"In the flesh."

"Great." Kylie rolled her eyes. After receiving a glare from the man across the counter from her, she said, "Alright, alright. What'll it be?" She got out her order pad, but didn't really need it, seeing as there were very few people in the place. It was almost as if she drove away customers, rather than serving them.

"The omelets okay?" And the two fell into a silence, both thinking about the relationship of the coffee lover and the juice lover. They stayed in silence up until the point that Tristan's food came out. After a few words were exchanged, it went back to silence, something that was soon shattered.

The cell phone ring was what broke the silence.

Chapter ten:

"Damn phone," Kylie held up her flip phone. "Sorry," she disappeared into the back of the restaurant to take the call.

'_Some things just never change,'_ Tristan thought as he bit into the delicious omelet. _'Wow, she wasn't lying, this is good.'_

Kylie came back to find the blonde man finishing his beloved orange juice. "Leaving so soon, buddy boy?" She picked up his plate and empty glass.

"Uh, yeah," Tristan shrugged, trying not to outwardly appear nervous. "There's someone I need to see. But, I'll be back." He placed a twenty dollar bill on the clean counter.

"That's what my last customer said," the girl replied sarcastically. She nodded towards the main part of the place. The place was dead except for the staff, Tristan and an elderly man in the back corner.

The blonde she had come to befriend smirked. "You have my word." Tristan replied."

Kylie rolled her eyes; "Sure," she shot back playfully. In that moment, Tristan could have sworn, for the briefest moment, he saw Rory. "I'll get your change." Kylie held up the bill with a confused look on her face, no doubt from the look Tristan was giving her.

The man across the counter from her abruptly got up. "No," he waved his hand, as if to dismiss the comment. "Keep the change. I'll be back later."

He headed out to his black Explorer and drove fifteen more minutes south of the restaurant. His front end meeting iron gates and guards, he answered the prompt of one of them.

"My name is Tristan DuGrey, and I am here to see Commander Calvin." He tried not to speed off when he was waved through.

Exiting his car around ten am, the former student of the military academy checked his appearance in the window of his car. "Wow, do I look like shit." He noticed. His normally bright blue eyes were dull and void of any emotion. His clothes were also not looking as crisp as usual. Finally, his hair wasn't in it's usual style, a sure sign that something was up with Tristan DuGrey. "You're not going on a date, get a move on," he mumbled to himself as he started walking up the cement steps.

"Wow, this place sure has changed in five years," the twenty three year old noted to newer looking furniture, and the cleaner marble floors. He walked into the main office that he had spent much time in and saw the receptionist. "Hello."

"I'll be with you in a moment, son." The older lady spoke without looking up. She was filing some papers, and had her back turned towards him. When she turned around, she let out a gasp. "Mister DuGrey, what brings you back here?"

Now, usually, the receptionist wasn't that friendly towards Tristan, but ever since he was the valedictorian of the military school and had graduated with honors, she adopted a new attitude towards the man. She secretly liked the fact that he worked his end off to get good grades and comply with the conduct and codes of the academy. She had come to know Tristan as a loyal and responsible student.

"Hello, ma'am," Tristan smiled back. "Uh, if it's possible, I would like to speak with Commander Calvin, if he has time, of course."

Not five minutes later, Tristan was escorted into the office of Commander Clark Calvin, the leader of the academy. "Well, DuGrey, what brings you down here? I thought you moved back to Connecticut." The man was always too the point.

Tristan gulped. "Well, sir, I was in the area. I decided to take a little trip before I got married." He stammered.

Calvin allowed himself to show a smile in front of his former student. "Congratulations, son," Now that Tristan was not a student, he could portray a bit more emotion around the man. "Who's the lucky girl?" After a couple moments of silence, Calvin spoke again. "Or is a man?"

Tristan let out a soft chuckle and shook his head. "Her name is Rory, sir."

"Lorelai for long, loves to read and top of her class, Rory?" The commander had known bits of pieces of Tristan's story from conversations overheard and Tristan's file at the school.

"Yes, sir, that's the one." Tristan nodded.

"Is that a problem?" Commander Calvin was always perceptive. He knew for a fact that Tristan just didn't take a trip before he got married, he had probably specifically come down to North Carolina. "Do you not want to marry her?"

The man sitting in front of him ran a hand through his hair. "No! I do want to marry her, and no, there normally isn't a problem."

"Normally?"

Tristan nodded again. "Sometimes, her opinion overrides everything." A beat. "A few days ago, she commented that I was returning to my old ways, you know, before I came here." He sighed.

The commander tried not to sound harsh. "Well, you obviously are."

"What!" Tristan sat up straighter in the leather seat. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, you ran away didn't you, Tristan?"

The man sat there stunned for a moment. He did. He had run away. Yet again, he had run from Rory. Calvin let him sit there for a moment before speaking again. He wanted to find out the answer to his question.

"Why did you really come here, Tristan?" The wise leader leaned forward in his chair, elbows on the desk. "Did you really just take a trip, or did you come here, to North Carolina, specifically for the school?"

The former graduate sighed. "I came to talk to you." He smiled; no one could ever get anything past the Commander. "I wanted your opinion."

The old man smiled. "Well, I'm glad you got the girl, but I think you're an absolute idiot for running away like that." He answered honestly. "But if you wanted to talk to me so bad, why didn't you phone?

"Because I wanted to ask you in person."

"Ask me what?"

Tristan smiled. "Well, I was thinking about it, and I would like it very much if you were to come to my wedding."

Clark Calvin smiled genuinely. "I would be honored." He looked at his calendar. "When is it?"

The blonde replied, "Well, if Rory will still have me, it will be sometime in December." He shrugged. "I'll fax you the information in a week or less." He got up and shook the leader's hand. The commander had become the younger ones mentor, and both knew it.

Calvin nodded. "I will be there." He shook Tristan's hand. "Congratulations on getting engaged. Now, you are ordered to return to Connecticut as soon as possible. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," Tristan nodded firmly, finally getting a command that he was more than happy to be fulfilling.


	10. Runaways Return

Author's Note: This chapter is mostly Kylie and Tristan. It's also a bit short. Sue me. Also, thank you for your comments smile1, tickle582, goldenwillow, piper-h-99, mel, Gilmorefan31, LoVe23, blazergrl 17, and princetongirl. They were very appreciated and made my day(s). Sorry for the wait, I've been a tad busy.

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

"Kylie, pack your bags!" Tristan walked into the restaurant and sat down at the counter.

Kylie just gave him a look, as if to say he was nuts. "Did you score some crack while you were away?"

The man shook his head. "No, I had a bad experience once. I only buy the good stuff from a friend of mine in Hartford. He's a reliable source."

There was dead silence for a good minute. Tristan was struggling to keep a straight face while Kylie burst out, "Are you serious?"

"No, of course not, I was just kidding." A beat. "But not kidding when I said pack you bags. Come on, you're coming to Stars Hollow with me." He ordered.

The woman in front of him looked around. "Uh…I don't have a job. I don't have a place to sleep. I don't have a car; it died a couple days ago. I don't have any contacts there. Well, besides you, and you're moving soon."

"Details, details," Tristan channeled Lorelai for a second, mimicking one of her favorite phrases. "Come on, I can get you a job there, in fact, I can make a call right now to see if I can get you a job. You'll love it, I promise." He begged Kylie to come back. Tristan just didn't really feel right leaving her there, in the middle of North Carolina.

"Fine, I'll go get my stuff." Kylie was always a light packer, she was basically a nomad all of her life. She always kept her stuff in her luggage, because really, that's all she had room for in the small apartment above the restaurant.

Tristan let out a laugh and went outside to make his phone call. Sitting on a little bench outside, he called the Gilmore house. "Pick up, please pick up."

"Hello, you've reached Adam's Apple Farm, Lorelai speaking, how may I help you?" A familiar voice flowed into Tristan's ear, causing him to sadden a bit. If he hadn't ran away, he probably would have been laughing in the background.

He sobered up and tried not to laugh. "Yes, I was calling to see how much an apple costs."

"Well, usually it's a dollar, but for relatives it's free." Lorelai responded, knowing exactly who it was. "Are you planning on becoming a relative?" The older Gilmore asked the caller, glancing at Rory.

Rory was lying on her bed, as she had been for the past few days. She never really came out of the house except for food at Luke's, and even then it was a bit of a struggle. Her favorite book of the moment was The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks, and her mother didn't know why. The Yale grads only said that Tristan had quoted a book in his proposal, but never specified what one.

Tristan stopped laughing. He was quiet for a good minute. Trying to think of the perfect answer, he just decided to let his heart talk for once. "It's up to Rory. I really truly hope that she still wants to be my wife when I get back."

Lorelai stared at her daughter. She knew that Rory would be mad at first, but would find it in her heart to forgive Tristan for just running away like that. "Yes, I think your chances for a discount are pretty good."

"Then why hasn't she called?"

"Why haven't you?"

"Touché."

"So you're French now?"

"No, I just eat the fries."

Lorelai grinned. "Don't forget the bread. That's some good stuff." She looked towards her daughter again, who was staring at her. "I think I have someone who wants to talk to you."

The Inn owner walked into Rory's room and handed her the phone. Wordlessly, Lorelai grabbed her jacket from a kitchen chair and walked out the front door, to give the two some privacy.

"Hello?" Rory tried to keep her voice even.

"Ror?" Tristan replied, knowing that Rory was about to cry. He just always knew these things about her. "How are you holding up?"

The future DuGrey sighed. "To be perfectly honest, I'm not doing too well right now. You see, my future husband just took off one night, leaving his best man to tell my mom, and then leaving me to find out in an email. Now, if he were to have come to me in person, I would have been semi alright with it. I wouldn't have totally been happy, but I would never stand in your way."

She hadn't meant to sound harsh, but she did. Tristan involuntarily winced. "I…uh…I know. I mean, in hindsight, I know." He sighed. This was a deep conversation to be having over the phone. "Do you want to talk about this now, or when I get back?"

"It all depends."

"On what?"

"When you get back, and if I get anything from North Carolina."

The playful teasing was back in Rory's voice, which was a good sign. Tristan laughed softly, which was also a good thing. He had been utterly scared to call Rory, in all honestly. But, now that he did, the return trip would be a lot less stressful for him.

He grinned, looking up at Kylie, who was walking out of the dining establishment. "Don't worry, I'm bringing back something better than a dumb souvenir." He sighed. "Hey Ror?"

"Yes, Tris?"

"Do you still love me?" The question burning Tristan's mind finally was asked. "I mean, after I ran away, do you still love me?"

Without any hesitation on Rory's part, she answered. "Yes, I do."

"She practicin' the vows already, Tristan?" Kylie couldn't help commenting. She kept her voice low, so Rory wouldn't freak out.

Nodding to her, Tristan asked Rory, "Hey, do you know the number to the Diner?" He made up a story. "I have to ask him a question about insurance on a place like his. I got into a debate with some waitress who owned half the place I ate breakfast at this morning."

Buying the story, Rory gave him the number. "Be safe, Tris. I may be mad, but I want you back here in one piece, alright?"

"You just want me back for the honeymoon." Tristan had to cover up Kylies mouth the keep her from gagging out loud.

"That too," Rory blushed, thankful that no one was around to witness it. "But really, I love you."

"I love you too."

When he hung up with Luke, twenty minutes later, Kylie had a job, and the two were on their way back to Connecticut, a state where they knew they both belonged.

"Eminem? Don't tell me ya'll listen to that boy." Kylie picked up a CD from the pile on the passengers seat of the Explorer. "Celine Dion?" She held up another CD, as she sat down and got situated for the three day ride. "I'm not even going to ask you about it, boy."

Tristan felt a blush rise onto his cheeks. Rory had rubbed off on him more than he knew. "Uh, that's not mine." He was on the receiving end of a Kylie look. "Honest. Lorelai was driving my car the other day, and she likes to blare it at stop lights and mock the music. I swear."

"Uh huh, you just keep drivin', hon." Kylie laughed.

After days and nights of driving, the two crossed Stars Hollow limits on a Friday afternoon, around one p.m. Kylie was driving, so they were at the diner in no time, due to her lead foot.

Lorelai, Rory, and Jess were having lunch in the Diner when they saw a black Ford Explorer round the corner on what seemed like two wheels and screeching tires. "That is Tristan's car." Rory noted as she sipped her coffee like it was an everyday scene.

"But that is so not Tristan driving." Lorelai put in her two cents. Sure, she knew that the Runaway Romeo and Future Husband had driven like that before, but she doubted it was him. The female driver's reflection gave it away.

"So, who is that?" Jess asked, truly wondering who had enough guts to do that and stop in front of the gazebo, across the street.

Tristan let go of the "Oh shit!" bar in his truck and let out a deep breath that he had been holding ever the duo had entered Stars Hollow. "That is the last time I tell you to go a little faster to piss off Taylor." He rolled his eyes and crossed the street with Kylie.

They entered the diner in a quiet fashion and felt all eyes on them when they let the door close behind them. "So, when do I start?" Kylie took off her sunglasses and walked up to the table of the three Stars Hollows residents. Well, Jess was a part time resident.

"KYLIE!" Rory jumped up and exclaimed. After what seemed like five minutes of exchanging hugs, the two girls broke apart and Rory commented. "So, this is what is better than any souvenir." She smiled.

Luke came from the kitchen. "What is the commotion out here?" He noticed Tristan hugging Rory. "Welcome back."

Rory broke apart from the love of her life and introduced Kylie and Tristan. "She's your new help, Luke."

"You were the girl Tristan was talking about?" Kylie nodded and stuck out her hand. Luke accepted it and pointed to the Gilmore's. "Well, at least you know our best customers." He rolled his eyes when Lorelai stuck out her coffee cup.


End file.
